Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance
Chapter 805

Andre frowned, turning to his wife, "Why's Dad been sipping herbal tea lately?"

Hansen chimed in, "Oh, herbal tea's not just for fixing what's broken; it's about keeping things running smooth. I'm getting on in years, so a bit of herbal tea is my way of staying spry." Naomi nodded, "Exactly."

Andre wasn't buying it. His father didn't seem like the type to voluntarily down bitter brews.

"Show me the tea bag."

Hansen replied, "What, you still don't trust me? Andre, you're really pushing it."

Mia swiftly intervened, "Honey, Dad's been busting his back helping with our little one. Don't rile him up. If you've got nothing else, better head to work."

Andre was still uneasy, but seeing his elderly father juggling their little bundle of joy, he really felt for him.

So, he let it slide.

"I'll get the heat pad on you before I head to the office."

Before leaving, Andre took his wife to the bathroom, patiently dampening and softening the heat pad, all the while wondering if his father had actually taken any medicine.

Naomi whispered to her dad, "Dad, go change your clothes, or Andre will start grilling you again once he comes out."

Hansen whispered back, "Sweetheart, are you daft? Changing now would be a dead giveaway. Andre's sharp as a tack; he'd figure it out. I'm banking on my confidence to keep him at bay." Naomi glanced at her father, thinking: There's not much of a front here.

Finally, amid Mia's playful protests, the old heat pad was peeled off and replaced with a fresh one.

Before heading out, Andre wanted one last cuddle with his son, but Hansen, feeling wrongly accused, turned away, shielding his grandson from view.

Andre called out, "Henry, Daddy's off now."

Henry, used to the routine, waved, "Bye-bye, Daddy~"

Once the "judge" had left, Mia breathed a sigh of relief, as did Hansen.

"Mia, you're quite the strategist."

Mia waved it off modestly, "Oh, it's nothing. It's all thanks to Dad's acting chops."

Hansen grinned, "We make a flawless team."

Mia agreed, "In our future escapades, Dad, you're my partner."

"No worries, I've got your back."

At that moment, they seemed like the best of friends.

Naomi, shaking her head with a smile, picked up her little nephew, "Mia, what did the doctor say about our little one's weight?"

Mia replied, "The doc said he's 'not too heavy, not too light,' and suggested more exercise. Personally, he's just adorably chubby. It's only Andre who thinks he's too heavy and hurting my arm, hence the slimming down idea." Seeing other kids starting to crawl, some even walking, Mia felt a bit anxious. So, she began dedicating her home time to helping her son practice crawling.

Henry lay on the tile floor, unmoved, watching his mom work up a sweat without any reaction.

Naomi affectionately dubbed her nephew, "Little Lazybones."

The nickname flowed naturally from her affection.

Exhausted, Mia plopped down on the floor, "Lazy, the lot of you. Let's see if you can out-lazy your mom."

They exchanged glances, the coffee table nearby laden with fruit. Mia grabbed a plate, settled beside her, and opened her phone to binge-watch a series while snacking. Hansen, eyeing the ice cream, was met with Mia's stern look. "Hey! You forgot the pain already? Did you enjoy your hospital stay? We agreed on no more than two a day." Hansen lost interest.

Yet, Mia hadn't had any today, so she grabbed a pack and dug in, having already tipped off the security guard, "When Mr. Andre rolls in, spot his car and ring me. Do well, and a raise's on the horizon. Mess up, and expect overtime." The guard feared Mr. Andre replaceing out and doling out punishment. Mia assured them, "Relax, any fallout's on me. I call the shots at home."

So as long as Andre was out the door, she was free to indulge.

She lounged, ice cream in one hand, series playing, and fruit within reach.

Henry, left on the floor, drooled a small river, leaving a shiny puddle on the tiles. Naomi had to periodically wipe it up.

Seeing his mom enjoying treats without sharing, Henry got so frustrated he slapped the floor, hurting his hand, and began to cry, face reddening, his little cries reaching a crescendo.

Finally, his tiny hand ventured forward, dragging his little body inch by inch.

Mia watched from the corner of her eye, unfazed, continuing her snack.

Pushing aside toys, he crawled about a meter. Mia, worried he might tire, set her phone down and knelt in front of him, lifting him to her lap and letting him taste her ice cream, "See, you can crawl now. Little guy, there's nothing Mom can't handle~" Having mastered crawling, it was now all about practice.

When Andre came home and saw his son clumsily crawling around, he scooped him up with joy, "How'd you learn that?"

Henry, eyeing the big peach in Mia's hand, drooled on his dad's cheek, hoping he'd snag it from Mom.

With daily practice, he grew confident, no longer needing parental guidance, crawling about independently.

Mia, proud of her efforts, stood behind her son, "My boy, seeing you crawl fills me with pride."

Little did she know, her pride would soon turn to exasperation!

In just a few days, Henry was crawling like a pro.

Kids learn fast.

On a whim, Mia bought him a turtle costume.

Henry loved it, with a big green shell on his back, crawling daily, hands and feet in motion, looking even more like a little sea turtle.

Mia, walking beside him, said, "Son, why not become a 'globetrotter' like your uncle? You look pretty happy doing it."

After some crawling, Henry tugged at the mat's threads.

Tired, Mia tended to him, peeling a small fruit for him to nibble.

When Andre came home, a little "turtle" greeted him, looking up with a chubby smile, calling "Dada."

Andre bent down, lifting his little treasure, wiping fruit puree from his face, "Where do you want to go this weekend as a reward for learning to crawl? Dad'll take you."

"Honey, I've been the one working hard, how about somewhere with mountains and streams?" Mia suggested.

Andre told her, "Alright, pick the place, and we'll go this weekend."

Holding his son for a moment, Andre set him down, then took Mia's hand, checking her wrist. "Still hurting?"

"Not anymore-" With her husband's arms free, Mia wrapped her arms around him, planting a playful kiss on his cheek.

Andre's face lit up with a warm smile and deep fondness. He wrapped his arms around her waist, ready to return the kiss when...